Recently on a walk back from the school run I heard (or eaves dropped) some parents talk about fitness. I listened intently, it went something like this:

Parent 1: I went to the gym and it was great

Parent 2: Are you still going?

Parent 1: No, i got bored I don’t think the gym works so I’ve started running instead

Parent 2: That’s good.

Parent 1: I haven’t been for ages I don’t have time

Me: Sigh

The topic I want to discuss is “the gym doesn’t work”. 

This is like saying the kitchen doesn’t work. If you’ve shopped well, the kitchen has all the tools you need to make healthy nutritious meals. You could of course make microwave burgers and hotdogs in the kitchen but the issue isn’t the kitchen it’s what you do with the tools. 

This is very much like the gym. 

Most gyms, even hell holes like PureGym, will have a wide range of equipment from cardio and resistance machines to barbells and dumbbells. However, if you go into the gym without a recipe, otherwise known as a training plan you will have a junk workout. 

My definition of a junk workout is similar to that of junk food. You feel good while doing it but it’s not effective and doesn’t have an eye on the long term goal. 

A junk workout looks something like this:

Choosing any available cardio machine, bike or running machine are most common. Increase the speed or resistance to the point of getting a sweat, normally after about 20-25 minutes and then stop.    

Walk around the gym looking for a resistance machine that looks easy to use and not too scary. Do 3-4 sets on a weight that feels too light and move on to another machine and repeat. 

Avoiding the free weights and dumbbells because that area of the gym is too scary.

At about 60-75 minutes later you’ve “done some cardio and resistance” exercises and hit the changing rooms. You feel better than when you went in but have little idea if you’ve made any progress, if you even have a goal in mind.

Is there a better way?

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Yes!

If you’re a complete beginner there are a range of plans you can find online that will give you some structure, many of the free ones are completely fine and will get you started if your goal is weight loss. Going to the gym with some vague plan will be infinitely better than no plan.  If your plan involves using exercises you don’t know, finding a personal trainer in the gym will help, most will be happy to help, if not find another gym.

What are the other options?

Personalised online training plans are something that have become more popular in recent years as they give you the expertise and accountability of a qualified personal trainer. An online training plan is a set of exercises personalised to your needs, injuries, time constraints and ability. It will give you specifics on what exercises to perform including sets, reps and intensity. 

The online training plan will be monitored weekly to check progress and help main progress towards the agreed goal.

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One other obvious option is personal training but you already knew that.

So, if you want to make progress and not have to think when you get into the gym, have a training plan that works for you. The gym does work!